Christmas chimney enclosure



Oct. 11, 1966 H. w. STALLARD CHRISTMAS CHIMNEY ENCLOSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 7, 1964 I NVENTOR. #05 Y 14/ 57-41 A AA?!) BY WW, Aflm 1477'0Z/VEYS.

Oct. 11, 1966 H. w. STALLARD CHRISTMAS CHIMNEY ENCLOSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 7, 1964 INVENTOR. AZ/EV M $744.44e0,

United States Patent O 3,278,742 CHRISTMAS CHIMNEY ENCLOSURE Huey W. Stallard, Rte. 1, Box 230, Bear, Del.; Viola B. Stallard, administratrix of said Huey W. Stallard, deceased Filed Aug. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 388,235 6 Claims. (Cl. 240-40) This invention relates to decorative enclosures for house chimneys, and more particularly to an illuminated enclosure of this kind especially, but not exclusively, adapted to be installed on festive occasions, such as Christmas time.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a highly decorative, cheer-inspiring device of the kind indicate-d, which is adapted to be installed on a house roof, around an existing chimney, and conceal the chimney while adding to the festive appearance of the house.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple, uncomplex, inexpensive, and easily installed device of the character indicated above, which is adapted to be knocked down for compact storage, and which, when installed, is firmly ancored to the roof against displacement by high winds.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing a device of the invention installed;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of FIGURE 1, on a reduced scale;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary inside elevation of a panel of the device;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged, contracted, and exploded fragmentary perspective view, showing adjacent panels and the hinge means for connecting the same;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical transverse section, taken on the line 7-7 ofFIGURE 4, showing hand saw-guide marks on an end panel, adapted to be followed in cutting the lower edges of the end panels to accommodate angled roofs of different pitches; and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section, taken through a panel, showing indentation of the mortar seams between brick forms.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a gable house roof, having oppositely angled surfaces 12, joined at an apex 14', upon which a device 16 of the invention is shown installed spacedly around an existing chimney 18, centered on the apex 14.

The device 16 comprises similar rectangular side panels 20 and similar rectangular end panels 22, these panels being made of any suitable materials, preferably relatively rigid plastic. The outer surfaces of the panels are decorated, by any suitable means, such as brick forms 24, separated by indented mortar seams 26. In a preferable arrangement, the panels are formed of translucent material, with the brick forms 24 applied to the outer surfaces thereof, -as shown in FIGURE 8, the brick forms being spaced from each other by the mortar seams, so that light within the interior of the device comes clearly through the translucent mortar seams. The length and height of the panels of the device are determined by the length and height of the chimney 18, and are of such height that the top of the device 16 is spaced below the upper part of the chimney, as shown in FIGURES l and 2, and the panels are equally spaced from the sides and ends of the chimney 18, when installed.

The panels are formed, along their end edges 28, with vertically spaced, laterally inwardly extending hinge barrels 30 on the side panels 20, and 32, on the end edges 3,278,742 Patented Oct. 11, 1966 "ice 34, of the end panels 22, these hinge barrels being positioned so as to be interdigitated and traversed by vertical hinge pins 36, to form strong and accurately aligned piano hinges 38.

The hinge pins 36 have enlarged angled ears 40, on their lower ends, adapted to bear flatly upon the roof surfaces 12, through which screws 42, or the like, are passed and are anchored to the roof. Upper end portions 44, of the hinge pins 36 are adapted to be bent down, as indicated in phantom lines in FIGURE 6, against the upper edges of adjacent panels so as to hold the same down in place.

Additional means for holding the enclosure panels in place, and accurately spaced from the sides and ends of the chimney 18, comprise brackets 46, fixed in place centrally on the inner surfaces of the panels. The brackets 46 comprise plates 48 rectangular in form, which are formed with centered vertical slots 50 which open to the upper ends of the plates 48, and have relatively narrow vertical openings 52, facing the chimney 18. Removably engaged in the slots 50 are vertical plates 54, on the outer endsof horizontal cylindrical studs 56, which are of a length that their inner ends are spaced from the sides or ends of the chimney 18, as shown in FIGURE 3. 1

Tubular retainers 58 are slidably engaged over the studs 56 and have pointed inner ends 60, adapted to re-tainably bite into the sides or ends of the chimney 18. Set screws 62 are threaded, as indicated at 64, through the side walls of the retainers 58, against the studs 56, for holding adjustments of the retainers.

Pendant lamp brackets 66 are clamped, at their upper ends, around the parts of the studs 56, between the brackets 46 and the retainers 58, and, at their lower ends,

around the bodies 68 of electric lamp bulbs 70. The lamp bulbs 70 serve to illuminate the spaces between the enclosure panels and the chimney 18, arid to pass light through the translucent mortar seams thereof.

While the lower edges 72 of the side panels 20 are straight and unmutilated, the lower edges of the end panels 22 are formed with downwardly opening V-shapednotches 74, which accommodate the angled roof surfaces 12 and the apex 14 of the roof 10. As shwn in FIG- URE 7, the inner surfaces of the end panels 22 are marked, as indicated at 76, with a plurality of vertically spaced V-shaped hand saw guide lines 78, pitched at different angles to enable sawing the notches required for roofs of different pitches.

The enclosure panels 20 and 22 are surmounted by a rectangular horizontal tubular frame 80, which, at equally spaced intervals therearound, is provided with upstanding lamp bulb sockets 82, in which lamp bulbs 84 are engaged, and are connected, in suitable manner, to wires 85, extending through the frame 80, and leading to an available electrical outlet (not shown), to which the lamp bulbs 70 are also connected.

Fixed to the frame 80, between the bulb sockets 82 are downwardly extending spring clips 86, having opposed resilient legs 88 biased toward each other, for grouping upper edge portions of the enclosure panels, as shown in FIGURE 3, the legs 88 having lateral portions 90, on their upper ends, which together form stops for engagement with the upper edges of the related panels.

The brick forms 24 may be of diiferent and contrasting colors or may be all of the same color, and the brick forms may be replaced by areas of other shapes and sizes, and be either opaque or translucent, the decorative designs on the panels being a matter of choice.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a roof, a chimney upstanding on the roof, said roof having surfaces adjacent to the chimney, an enclosure resting upon roof surfaces and spacedly surrounding the chimney, and means securing the enclosure to the roof, said enclosure being composed of side panels and end panels, spaced from the sides and the ends of the chimney, horizontal studs secured to the inner surfaces of said panels, and tubular retainers adjustably-supported on said studs and engaged with the related surfaces of the chimney.

2. The combination according to claim 1 which includes in addition a frame having electric lamp bulb sockets carrying lamp bulbs spaced therearound surmounting the upper edges of the panels.

3. In combination, a roof, a chimney upstanding on the roof, said roof having surfaces adjacent to the chimney, an enclosure resting upon roof surfaces and spacedly surrounding the chimney, and means securing the enclosure to the roof, said enclosure being composed of side panels and end panels, spaced from the sides and the ends of the chimney, centered first brackets secured to inner surfaces of the panels, said first brackets comprising first vertical plates formed with vertical slots opening to the upper ends of the plates, said plates being formed with relatively narrow vertical openings facing the chimney and opening to the upper ends of the plates, second vertical plates slida-bly engaged in the slots, said second plates having horizontal studs extending inwardly therefrom through said openings, tubular retainers slidably engaged on the studs, said retainers having pointed inner ends retainably engaged with related surfaces of the chimney, and set screws threaded through the side walls of the retainers and engaged with the studs.

4. In combination, a roof, a chimney upstanding on the roof, said roof having surfaces adjacent to the chimney, an enclosure resting upon roof surfaces and spacedly surrounding the chimney, and means securing the enclosure to the roof, said enclosure being composed of side panels and end panels, spaced from the sides and the ends of the chimney, centered first brackets secured to inner surfaces of the panels, said first brackets comprising first vertical plates formed with Vertical slots opening to the upper ends of the plates, said plates being formed with relatively narrow vertical openings facing the chimney and opening to the upper ends of the plates, second vertical plates slidably engaged in the slots, said second plates having horizontal studs extending inwardly therefrom through said openings, tubular retainers slidably engaged on the studs, said retainers having pointed inner ends retaina-bly engaged with related surface of the chimney, and set screws threaded through the side walls of the retainers and engaged with the studs, and electric lamps carried by the studs.

5. In combination, a roof, a chimney upstanding on the roof, said roof having surfaces adjacent to the chimney, an enclosure resting upon roof surfaces and spacedly surrounding the chimney, and means securing the enclosure to the roof, said enclosure being composed of side panels and end panels, spaced from the sides and the ends of the chimney, said panels having upper edges, a rectangular frame registered with and coinciding with the upper edges of the panels, said frame having electric lamp bulb sockets spaced therearound containing lamp bulbs, and means removably securing the frame to the upper edges of said panels.

6. In combination, a roof, a chimney upstanding on the roof, said roof having surfaces adjacent to the chimney, an enclosure resting upon roof surfaces and spacedly surrounding the chimney, and means securing the enclosure to the roof, said enclosure being composed of side panels and end panels, spaced from the sides and the ends of the chimney, said panels having upper edges, a rectangular frame registered with and coinciding with the upper edges of the panels, said frame having electric lamp bulb sockets spaced therearound containing lamp bulbs, and means removably securing the frame in place, said means comprising downwardly extending spring clips fixed to the frame and removably engaged over the upper edges of the panels.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,198,524 9/1916 Cunliffe 4631 X 1,658,269 2/1928 Westphalen.

2,052,755 9/1936 Duffy 5228 X 2,216,220 10/1940 Baker 240-2 X 2,223,222 11/1940 Morrison 46226 X 2,262,199 11/1941 Paulson 52-314 X 2,544,034 3/1951 Levering 240-10 X 3,025,389 3/1962 Esch 240-10 3,089,521 5/1963 Paiement 52314 X NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. 

5. IN COMBINATION, A ROOF, A CHIMNEY UPSTANDING ON THE ROOF, SAID ROOF HAVING SURFACES ADJACENT TO THE CHIMNEY, AN ENCLOSURE RESTING UPON ROOF SURFACES AND SPACEDLY SURROUNDING THE CHIMNEY, AND MEANS SECURING THE ENCLOSURE TO THE ROOF, SAID ENCLOSURE BEING COMPOSED OF SIDE PANELS AND END PANELS, SPACED FROM THE SIDES AND THE ENDS OF THE CHIMNEY, SAID PANELS HAVING UPPER EDGES, A RECTANGULAR FRAME REGISTERED WITH AND COINCIDING WITH THE UPPER EDGES OF THE PANELS, SAID FRAME HAVING ELECTRIC 